


could I have this dance (for the rest of my life)

by helsinkibaby



Category: The Following
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Comment Fic, F/M, Het, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-26
Updated: 2013-05-26
Packaged: 2017-12-13 01:22:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/818300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helsinkibaby/pseuds/helsinkibaby
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mike and Debra's first dance together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	could I have this dance (for the rest of my life)

**Author's Note:**

> For a prompt at comment_fic : any, any/any, a couple slow dancing for the first time at a wedding.

The wedding of Claire Matthews and Ryan Hardy is small, intimate and top secret; the first two because of the people involved, the last because of the people involved and common sense. No-one knows how many followers Joe still has out there, and they've had enough trouble from them for several lifetimes. 

Joey walks his mom down the courthouse aisle, Mike stands beside Ryan as his best man. Watching, there are only three people: Claire's mother, Ryan's sister and Debra.

 Mike knows he should be watching the bride, but he only has eyes for Debra, which has been pretty much par for the course in the three months since the Carroll case ended. She'd come home with him that night, at least until Turner had arrived, sweeping them both into protective custody after telling them that Ryan and Claire had been attacked and the look of mingled surprise and relief when he caught sight of a sleep-tousled Debra clad in Mike's bathrobe will never not be funny. 

Today's dress looks much better than the bathrobe though, silky and floaty, the wine colour doing amazing things to her skin and hair. She smiles through the vows, happy for their friends, smiles for photographs and during his best man's speech. The meal, held in a private room in a small restaurant, is delicious and afterwards, Mike is surprised when Ryan actually pulls Claire to her feet for the traditional first dance - he'd never pictured Ryan as a dancer. 

The music is slow and romantic, and when the first song gives way to the second, an irresistible impulse seizes Mike and he stands, extending his hand towards Debra. "May I have this dance?" he asks and she answers with the biggest, most beautiful smile he could ever imagine. 

"You do realise," he says as they face one another and he slides his right arm around her waist, takes her right hand in his left and places it over his heart, "That this is the first time we've ever danced together?"

She smiles at him, her free arm going around his waist, palm resting on his back. "I've actually been looking forward to it all day," she admits and he tilts his head with a surprised smile at this most un-Debra like statement. 

"You turning into a romantic on me?" he wonders and her cheeks flush a pleasing shade of pink. 

"You have that effect on me," is all she'll say and Mike pulls her closer, kisses the top of her head. 

He'll take that. 

"You're a good dancer," she tells him as the song nears its conclusion and he grins, spins her out and back into his arms again. She throws her head back and laughs and Mike knows, without a doubt, that he never wants to be without her again. 

"I have a good partner," he tells her. "I'm actually kinda thinking I should hold on to her."

He's doesn't think the words through before he says them and it's only when they're out that he realises what he's actually said. Debra freezes for a split second and it's long enough for him to panic, long enough for him to think that she's going to run away screaming. 

Then she smiles. 

She smiles and she kisses him and she's still smiling when she pulls away. "I'd like that," she says softly. "A lot."

He kisses her again, then spins her off her feet. Beside him, he hears Ryan laughing calling him to put her down and he does, but he doesn't let her go. 

He knows he's going to hold on to her for the rest of their lives. 

 


End file.
